1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toilet devices, and more particularly to a small water-saving portable urinal for men, women, and children, that is designed to connect directly to the substructure plumbing drain line of the bathroom sink.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Water-saving portable urinals are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,768 to Chevrette discloses and claims a water conserving urinal comprising an open-top funnel to be mounted on the wall with a flexible hose thereon terminating in a rigid tube with a U-shaped gas trap section. Under the teaching of Chevrette patent, the rigid tube trap extends into a sink drain pipe section adapted to be connected to the outlet of a sink drain trap, whereby liquids flow directly into the sewer line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,863 to Pate discloses and claims a hand-held urine receiver that is constructed in the general form of a reservoir and is connected to a flexible hose. In Pate's patent, a flexible hose extends from the urine receiver and is connected to a drain line that forms a part of the plumbing network of a residential structure. In order to adapt the urine receiver of the present invention for female use, there is provided a vaginal insert.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,405 to Collins discloses and claims a urinal for capturing and directing urine into a drain line. The Collins inventive device includes an adjustable mounting structure securable to a wall surface within a bathroom. Under the teaching of Collins patent, a urinal is supported by the adjustable mounting structure and can be positioned at a desired height. The Collins device can be readily installed into existing bathroom structures to provide an alternative to a conventional toilet, thereby reducing flushing of the toilet and saving water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,374 to Hubrig and Lachowitzer discloses and claims a water conserving urinal for male and female use attachable to a toilet. The Hubrig and Lachowitzer urinal includes a urinal bowl which is supported on a flexible member secured at its lower end to a pivot member. Water is supplied to the bowl from the toilet water supply line via a flexible supply line. According to Hubrig and Lachowitzer patent, a flush valve is provided in the water line and distributes a low volume of water around the interior of the bowl through an interiorly extending flush ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,947 to Markles discloses and claims a urinal assembly for attachment to a toilet of the type which is floor mounted over a drain, including a toilet-mounting flange. Under the teaching of Markles patent, preferably the urinal bowl is flushed and rinsed with a line which is connected to the toilet tank so that it is periodically rinsed. Also preferably, the urinal bowl swivels downwardly to provide height adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,598 to Jones discloses and claims a urinal for use by females which allows urination in a generally upright position and in a sanitary manner. Jones' invention comprises a flexible tube with a flared upper end shaped to conveniently fit around the vaginal area and collect urine which drains down the inside of the flexible tube to a collected bowl. The collecting bowl may be located on the floor or against the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,875 to Wilson discloses and claims a urine disposal bypass unit includes a bowl for receiving urine having a bottom outlet for disposing of the urine, a one-way valve disposed in the outlet to permit flow from the bowl downward through the outlet and to prevent flow of gases upward into the bowl, a flush valve mounted on the bowl for supplying flushing liquid to a spray assembly mounted on the bowl at a position to supply the flushing liquid around the bowl to flush the bowl, a flexible drain hose coupled with the outlet of the bowl to provide communication between the bowl and a main drain, a flexible supply hose coupled with the flush valve to supply flushing liquid thereto, an extensible arm assembly mounted on a stationary support and carrying the bowl in order to permit the bowl to be extended from a storage position adjacent the stationary support and a check valve in the bowl base for passing urine and flushing liquid therethrough and maintaining a predetermined volume of liquid thereabove to act as a trap. According to Wilson's patent, the urine disposal bypass unit permits the flushing of urine while bypassing the toilet and requiring only one cup of flushing liquid.
Despite all the efforts listed above prior art patents describe structures that are either not truly convenient or else involve complicated, expensive, and overly difficult assembly and/or disassembly parts and procedures, and ultimately do not lead to the saving of a substantial amount of water. In the specific the urinal of the present application is stored completely out of sight when not in use thus constituting an obvious advantage for aesthetic reasons. In addition to that the drain tube used in the design of the device of the present invention is semi-rigid to facilitate a continual downward flow of urine when in use so as to allow for ease in complete evacuation of urine after each use. Finally the device of the present invention includes a mechanism for easier and equally efficient flushing of the urinal after each use. Other devices have been advertised on various media but never patented or described into a printed publication.